There are some great cars that are 20-plus years old now. And this review talks a lot about the electronic intervention on this BMW. We should've seen iDrive coming.

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Or, returning to my F1 fantasy, occasionally I tried just planting my foot to the floor and letting the All Season Traction electronics do its stuff. (Don't try this at home, kids; remember, I'm a professional.) In fact, ASC+T, as it's also known, modulates power through spark timing and throttle and, if needed, applies one or the other rear brake until a negligible degree of slip is achieved. It's fun in the wet, and I would guess uncanny on ice or snow.

And, no, we haven't had sleet in Newport Beach just yet.

Even with something as simple as full-grip acceleration in a straight line, there's electronic wizardry at work. The CSi's redline is variously 6400 rpm (in first and second gear), 6200 (for third), 6100 (fourth), 6000 (fifth) and 5150 (sixth); this last one, by our own calculation as the car's top speed is electronically limited to a Deutsche politischkorrekt 155 mph. And isn't that the kind of PC thinking you could buy into?

It's lined up next to a 2014 Civic Coupe here. Weird, but it obviously works.

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In contrast to other Japanese companies, where leadership came in a natural progression through higher learning, Honda tended to bullhead his way through problems. Like many geniuses who would go on to see their names emblazoned on a grille, he relied heavily on his creativity and sheer determination. Most of the time it worked, but sometimes it wasn't enough.

Although primarily—and ironically—designed to prevent injury to a small dog who insists on riding shotgun, the caption touts the added bonus of protecting "the instrument panel from claw scratches." But if scratches on your dashboard freak you out that much, wouldn't it be more humane to hogtie your pets and toss them in the trunk, or cage and strap them to the roof of the car, Romney-style?